tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64207111192629738102024-03-13T22:54:06.210-07:00North Carolina AIDS Action NetworkNorth Carolina AIDS Action Network, NCAAN, is a statewide advocacy organization fighting for the rights of People Living with HIV/ AIDS, their loved ones, and those at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS in North Carolina.Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10214831901023335835noreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-81348298342685513202016-12-07T08:14:00.000-08:002016-12-07T08:31:26.958-08:00Don't Take Your Foot Off the Pedal<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">World AIDS Day provides a moment for reflection, to remember those we’ve lost from HIV in our community. Yet this time needs to be about more than just remembrance. It should also be a day for action. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Earlier this year </span><a href="http://www.greensboro.com/opinion/columns/ken-keeton-and-lee-storrow-better-access-to-hiv-medications/article_30abe3dc-4ba7-55a9-b491-c214cb5b5955.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our organizations wrote the News and Record to call on our General Assembly to expand access to health insurance</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Better access to HIV medications would save lives 4/8/2016) by approving premium assistance for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, NC’s state program that provides free HIV medication to low-income individuals. During this year’s budget process, we were thrilled to see that the General Assembly did just that. North Carolina was behind our peers across the South, and by authorizing premium assistance for ADAP North Carolina took an important step forward to provide better care for those living with HIV in North Carolina. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Access to health insurance will provide a greater range of healthcare services for those in need. It’s also a step forward for public health; studies have shown that HIV+ individuals who have full health insurance have better rates of viral suppression than those who only have access to HIV medication. Viral suppression occurs when individuals consistently take their HIV medication, and individuals who are virally suppressed will not transmit HIV to another person. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Premium assistance for ADAP is not enough to curb the HIV epidemic in North Carolina, and there is still more that needs to be done. Our state can not drop the ball when it comes to HIV treatment and prevention. We know the tools and policy solutions; the only question is will our policymakers have the political will to act. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We must continue to monitor and support a strong AIDS Drug Assistance Program. The rising costs of premiums and the outcome of federal decisions about the future of the Affordable Care Act may hinder the success of premium assistance in our state. ADAP is also supported by federal funds and voluntary rebates from pharmaceutical companies. Decreases in either of these funding sources could mean disaster for the hundreds of North Carolinians served by Triad Health Project in Greensboro and thousands across the state who depend on ADAP for lifesaving medication. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For years, state appropriations and funding for HIV and other STI treatment and prevention has been flat. This year, it’s vital that North Carolina General Assembly increase funding to help combat the rise of viral hepatitis in our state. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that one third of people living with HIV in the country are coinfected with hepatitis B or C, which increases the likelihood of liver-related health problems and other life-threatening complications. Hepatitis can be cured, but the treatment is expensive and funds for testing and prevention are limited in North Carolina. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, we can’t take the eye off on the ball when it comes to HIV prevention. Our young people must be armed with the facts about condoms and contraception, and the skills to navigate healthy relationships as teenagers. The advent of PrEP has also changed the prevention landscape. PrEP is medication that individuals can take that will significantly reduce their chance of contracting HIV. We need local leadership in our health departments, colleges (especially our HBCUs), and doctor’s offices to guarantee that those most at risk have information about PrEP, the ability to get a prescription, and the financial resources to afford it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In their 2013 HIV Surveillance Report, the Centers for Disease Control released the cities with the highest rate of new infections per capita, and Greensboro was in the top 20 (as was Charlotte). Now is not the time to take our foot off the pedal when it comes to addressing HIV in our community. We have the tools to end new transmissions and ensure those living with HIV are virally suppressed and live long, healthy lives. To do anything else is inexcusable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Lee Storrow is the executive director of the NC AIDS Action Network. Reidel Post is the executive director of the Triad Health Project. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-64937867571941186922016-11-07T10:58:00.000-08:002016-11-07T10:58:09.237-08:00Why More is At Stake This Election Than You Think<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, you will likely already know that Tuesday, November 8th is Election Day across the United States. To say that this election cycle has been been hard to watch would be an understatement. The news cycle has been primarily focused on the general public’s disdain towards the candidates and the nasty attacks and harmful rhetoric that has been on display for the world to see (and hear). While having to select the next leader of the free world in these conditions may seem to be disheartening for some, we still need to participate in the political process because too much is at stake. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to voting for our next President in the national election, we will also be voting in state and local level elections, which has more of a direct impact on our day-to-day lives. Here are a couple of things to consider if you are wondering what is at stake in this election and if you should even bother heading to the polls:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protect Progress That We Have Already Made</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It may be easy to assume that voting doesn’t matter, but it does, especially for the HIV/AIDS community. We must be sure to protect the hard earned legislative victories that we have already achieved for our community. The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) provides HIV-related prescription drugs to low-income individuals with limited or no prescription coverage and reaches over a third of all people with HIV receiving care in the United States. The state of North Carolina once had the longest ADAP waiting list in the nation. As a result of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network’s advocacy efforts with state legislators, North Carolina’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program ended its waitlist and remains fully funded. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year, advocacy efforts with the NC General Assembly led to the expansion of the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program to allow the program to use funds to help clients purchase health insurance through premium and cost-sharing assistance. Studies have shown that premium assistance programs lead to better health outcomes and better viral suppression rates for patients. When someone is “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">virally suppressed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” it means that they have very low levels of HIV in their body, significantly reducing the risk of transmitting HIV to another person. Moving ADAP clients onto health insurance programs will help them access important health services to manage other health needs that are currently out of reach for many. We cannot afford to lose state funding for these vital programs that literally save the lives of the 35,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Healthcare Access- Closing the Medicaid Coverage Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">North Carolina is currently one of the few states that has not expanded Medicaid coverage. The </span><a href="http://kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/new-estimates-of-eligibility-for-aca-coverage-among-the-uninsured/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kaiser Family Foundation</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> estimates that in North Carolina, 244,000 people do not have any option for affordable coverage; however, it is estimated that nearly 500,000 people would be eligible for coverage if the state expanded Medicaid and closed the coverage gap. The Cone Health Foundation released a report analyzing the economic impact of expanding Medicaid in 2016 and found that closing the gap in North Carolina would result in net savings for the state budget, despite any new costs of the program. The </span><a href="http://www.conehealthfoundation.com/app/files/public/4202/The-Economic-and-Employment-Costs-of-Not-Expanding-Medicaid-in-North-Carolina.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">report</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> also estimated that if North Carolina expanded coverage in 2016, the state would see $318 million in net state savings from 2016 to 2020. It is clear to most people that not closing the Medicaid coverage gap would prevent lower-income people from getting coverage, but what is often not discussed is that not expanding Medicaid would literally result in death for the most vulnerable people, especially those living with chronic illnesses like HIV/AIDS. In North Carolina, 1,100 people have </span><a href="http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2014/01/30/opting-out-of-medicaid-expansion-the-health-and-financial-impacts/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">died</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as a result of being in the Medicaid coverage gap. Voting for state legislators who sense the urgency of closing the Medicaid coverage gap and will work to expand access to the most vulnerable could literally be the difference between life and death. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PrEP Access in North Carolina</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PrEP is an HIV prevention strategy that would allow individuals who are HIV-negative to take anti-HIV medications before ever coming into contact with HIV, which would reduce their risk of becoming infected. The medications’ power works to prevent HIV from establishing infection inside a person’s body. PrEP has been shown to reduce risk of HIV infection through sex for gay and bisexual men, transgender women, and heterosexual men and women, as well as people who inject drugs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While PrEP does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STI) or pregnancy and is not a cure for HIV, its introduction into the world of HIV/AIDS treatment will have a serious impact on substantially reducing the amount of new HIV infections throughout North Carolina, the South and the United States. The Southeastern United States has the highest HIV diagnosis rate of any US region. Specifically in North Carolina, we have two cities on the CDC’s list of the top 25 US cities and metropolitan areas with the highest rates of new HIV infections: Charlotte and Greensboro.Reading statistics like that, it appears that North Carolina is on the verge of a potential HIV epidemic if state and local governments do not immediately take action. This election season, we have the power to elect officials who will work to expand PrEP access to communities vulnerable to HIV in order to prevent a public health crisis in the state. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preventing Discrimination & Stigma in North Carolina</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In March 2016, the NC General Assembly passed House Bill 2, the harmful legislation that significantly stripped discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community in the state of North Carolina. Having a piece of legislation like that on the books has already demonstrated to have a negative economic impact on the state, but it also has the potential to have a negative impact on the HIV/AIDS community by perpetuating stigma and discrimination against the community. Victims of stigma and discrimination are often deterred from seeking life-saving medical services, like HIV testing or treatment. We must stand together and show our determination in fighting against harmful legislation that impacts the lives of LGBTQ North Carolinians and the HIV/AIDS community through voting, calling for the full repeal of HB2 and passing much needed protections.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Voter Suppression in North Carolina</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This past July, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals invalidated most of North Carolina’s 2013 voting rights law, which imposed strict voter-ID requirements, cut back early-voting hours and eliminated same-day registration, out-of-precinct voting, and pre-registration for those under 18. State legislators claimed that early voting presented more opportunities for “violations,” even though there is virtually no evidence of fraud. In its ruling, the Fourth Circuit said that lawmakers “failed to identify even a single individual who has ever been charged with committing in-person voter fraud in North Carolina.” This archaic type of voter suppression should place everyone on notice that the integrity of American democracy is on the line. We cannot allow for state lawmakers to use their legislative power to disenfranchise (largely minority) voters. What better way to take a stand against voter suppression than to vote?</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PV-Meh8tbdA/WCDOYWkX95I/AAAAAAAAAUg/Hf6EKrdUBr4n-iVuAmIsWN7RwlDA7VBwwCLcB/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PV-Meh8tbdA/WCDOYWkX95I/AAAAAAAAAUg/Hf6EKrdUBr4n-iVuAmIsWN7RwlDA7VBwwCLcB/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looking to the future, there will be many more decisions that will be made that directly impact people living with HIV/AIDS, such as affordable housing and funding for treatment, prevention and supportive services. This election is soo much more than your love or hate for two candidates. The future of our state is on the line. Now more than ever, we must ensure that we continue to advocate for our community through our vote on the federal level, but also on the state and local levels.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy Election Day!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Christina Adeleke, Esq., NCAAN Communications and Development Coordinator</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-67355361944930363242016-11-02T11:58:00.001-07:002016-11-02T11:58:49.236-07:00Importance of Your Voice<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the start of this semester, I have been working for
the North Carolina AIDS Action Network. The Elton John AIDS Foundation has graciously
financially supported my work with NCAAN. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After accepting my sexuality as a gay man, one of my biggest
fears became contracting HIV. I come from a low-income, Latino household, one
that used to be undocumented, so there existed many barriers for my family and
I to have access to information that would destigmatize HIV and its
intersection with queerness in our communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had this idea that because I was gay, I would contract HIV
and my family members and loved ones would disown me. The culmination of this
fear was that love with another man would be unattainable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been very lucky to befriend people that have helped
me destigmatize HIV, both in the community and in myself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have reached a level of comfort where I
can speak on how I can reduce my risk of contracting HIV, not because being HIV
positive would be a lapse in my moral character, but because the working
systems of society have made it difficult for people with HIV to live fulfilling
lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While working at Pride events across the state with NCAAN, I
have been able to interact with both HIV positive and negative individuals. These
interactions included me working at booths and passing out information, but
what has been the most moving for me has been the times when people have shared
their status with me, unsolicited. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the particular handouts we give at the NCAAN booth
includes a small booklet from a pharmaceutical company that has thirty quotes,
each for a day of the month, of people with HIV that gives insight into a part
of how that individual’s life has changed since they knew their status.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was one of the pieces of information that moved me the
most. It held genuine pieces of people’s stories. It told me about their fight
for survival in a society that attempted to disown their humanity and push them
further into the shadows, while also letting that person with their newly
discovered status know that they would be content and okay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the goals that we have at NCAAN is to increase the accessibility
of HIV preventative services to individuals across the state. We also relay
information about how to stay “safe,” and we do all as an attempt to decrease
the spread of HIV across North Carolina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While talking to Matt Martin, one of my supervisors, one of
the most difficult things that we encounter is a way to amplify preventative
information and services, at the same time attempting to discontinue the
stigmatization that being HIV positive is a mark of death – stereotypes that
have harmed the personal relationships and whole lives of individuals in our
LGBTQ communities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simultaneously, we tell people to be safe and weary of how
to prevent the contracting HIV, while at the same time telling them that it’s
okay to be HIV positive, and that a full, healthy life is possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most important voice in the act to destigmatize HIV is
the voice of the same people that are being shunned from society. When people
with HIV speak of their experiences, they push, implicitly, the taboo of HIV
into the light of everyday life. We have all probably met someone with HIV,
whether they know it or not, and whether we know it or not. They deserve the
same respect and love that we would expect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a society that has consistently asked HIV positive
individuals to feel wrong and embarrassed about their status, these individuals
fight to speak up. Even though the burden is being placed on those that are
already burdened, <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>the weight of that voice allows people
like me to feel comfortable to reach out and reside in an environment that will
allow me to live with health and with love – something that was so far from
reach as a closeted child.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Erick D. Aguilar, Outreach Analyst Intern for the NC AIDS Action Network</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-4403288606832899532016-10-19T10:19:00.003-07:002016-10-19T10:20:43.545-07:00My Time at Speak Up! 2016: A National Leadership Summit for Women<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where do I begin in even trying to describe the empowering, engaging and amazingly awesome women's leadership summit held in Fort Walton Beach Florida from September 27-30, 2016? There were over 250 women living with HIV from 30 states, Canada and the U.S. Virgin Islands gathered in unity sharing a safe space where we were able to learn, share, laugh, cry and rejuvenate. We had the opportunity to participate in numerous workshops facilitated by women who are vivacious leaders. These workshops helped us to build our skills in leadership and learn about our current local, state and federal policy concerns that affect women living with HIV. We also developed a better understanding of social justice and human rights for women living with HIV while also having the opportunity to bond as a sisterhood and get to know one another on more intimate levels. I truly thank my NCAAN family for contributing and allowing me to have the opportunity to be a part of this unforgettable experience.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There were women who attended this summit that I have known for a very long time through social media and conference calls, but I finally got a chance to hug on them, love on them and share with them. It was truly an honor and a great experience to be surrounded by so much diversity from women who share the same passions of advocacy, prevention, rights and justice in our communities. Many of us were pushed out of our comfort zone so that we could be transparent, heal, and realize that while there may be many women with different stories; we all share similar challenges in our lives. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was a part of the 2016 Speak Up! Summit Planning Committee along with 20 other women and I had the opportunity to welcome all of the ladies who were in attendance. I had no idea that I would be asked to welcome the group, but as a leader you have to always be ready to lead. It was truly an honor as a first time attendee and a part of the Summit Planning Committee to take on that responsibility, I am truly grateful. Some of the workshop topics included: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Standing Up to Stigma in Your Community, Criminalization as it Impacts People Living with HIV, Sex Workers, People of Trans Experience and People who Use Drugs, HIV & Aging Adult Women</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Intergenerational Leadership</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdgXkHrnvI4/WAeqkBJ62LI/AAAAAAAAATQ/JnemI-BgQ3ksdIJa0uiN4rt71-Vhz_w7QCLcB/s1600/PWS%2B%25232%2B%2528Alicia%2BDiggs-NCAAN%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdgXkHrnvI4/WAeqkBJ62LI/AAAAAAAAATQ/JnemI-BgQ3ksdIJa0uiN4rt71-Vhz_w7QCLcB/s320/PWS%2B%25232%2B%2528Alicia%2BDiggs-NCAAN%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Those are just a few of the very powerful workshops that we had the opportunity to experience over four days. There were not just workshops, but we also had film screening nights and fun nights, which consisted of arts & crafts, games, dancing and singing. Not to mention the great meals we had for breakfast lunch and dinner. Many of the workshops impacted me, but I was really intrigued by the workshop on intergenerational leadership, which involved women living with HIV over the age of 40 and women living with HIV who were under the age of 40. This particular session truly opened my eyes more to the younger generation of leaders who are living with HIV and working on carrying the torch after the older generation rests. Creating a path for younger generations to take on leadership roles and continue to carry the torch is a passion of mine. It is truly up to us to lead our future leaders with love, acceptance and encouragement. It is important to trust the younger leaders and allow them to grow, learn and even make mistakes. The older generation of leaders have to build relationships with the younger generation of leaders, create safe spaces for them to open up and grow, have patience with them, teach them, listen to them, allow them to share their ideas and experiences which can be beneficial to contributing to change. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h98lblDd758/WAeqvWcPrvI/AAAAAAAAATU/QsttdkUptZQPsDSp2YvP-WazemomvioFgCLcB/s1600/PWS%2B%25231%2B%2528Alicia%2BDiggs-NCAAN%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h98lblDd758/WAeqvWcPrvI/AAAAAAAAATU/QsttdkUptZQPsDSp2YvP-WazemomvioFgCLcB/s320/PWS%2B%25231%2B%2528Alicia%2BDiggs-NCAAN%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This summit was a great experience, which empowered me to take the information that I received out into all communities that I come into contact with, so that I can be as a vessel to help teach and encourage others to take back their power against stigma and criminalization. If you have not had the opportunity as a woman living with HIV to experience this bonding experience, or you would like to know more about being a leader/advocate in your community, then please contact PWN-USA or North Carolina AIDS Action Network (NCAAN) by going to the website for more information. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://pwnusa.wordpress.com/</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.ncaan.org/</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alicia Diggs NCAAN Board Member, Board Affairs </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">North Carolina member of the Positive Women's Network USA </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-65640132980173726742016-10-05T08:41:00.001-07:002016-10-05T08:41:22.875-07:00Statement of Solidarity<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">The recent shooting and death of Keith Lamont Scott and the protests that have followed have unveiled unfortunate truths that run deep within our community. The issues related to the harsh reality of racism are not new and the anger and pain suffered as a result are real. We must have the courage to listen to those who are hurting around us, to respond to the injustices that have been occurring and to act now. The changes that will be required to remove systemic racism in our systems and structures will not be easy or comfortable, but it is necessary. </span></div>
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The North Carolina AIDS Action Network proudly stands in solidarity with and will fight alongside those taking a stand in demanding that all people be treated equally and fairly. As an organization that serves the HIV/AIDS community, we consistently see the role that racism and discrimination plays in perpetuating stigma and how detrimental its impact has on our community. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” As an organization, we are taking a stand and actively commit ourselves to the ongoing work of creating a community of fairness, justice and equality for all. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- North Carolina AIDS Action Network</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-36185819883294650092016-09-14T13:41:00.003-07:002016-09-14T13:45:08.432-07:00Recap - Stronger Together HIV/AIDS Advocacy Conference 2016<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over one hundred HIV advocates from across North Carolina and the South made their way to Winston-Salem State University for Stronger Together: NC HIV/AIDS Advocacy Conference 2016 on Saturday, September 10th, 2016. The annual all-day conference, hosted by the North Carolina AIDS Action Network and the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition, included plenty of breakout sessions for advocates to learn how to fight for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, people who use drugs, sex workers, and affected communities from grassroots leaders and respected experts.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The conference included a variety of HIV/AIDS-focused workshops, including “HIV is Not a Crime” and “The Trans Community, HIV Stigma and HB2.” “Much has changed in the landscape of trans equality over the last year,’ says Crystal Richardson, Esq., the Director of Advocacy at Equality NC. ‘Available data, which is mostly limited, shows an alarmingly high HIV rate among the trans community, and legislation like HB2 and negative dialogue about trans individuals in North Carolina and across the South stigmatizes those most in need of services.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OehTorWDGDg/V9m2gFMQwZI/AAAAAAAAASE/WKk_P6S5B38-ynPiJu3McyY4f1Z2JAOPgCLcB/s1600/IMG_4408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OehTorWDGDg/V9m2gFMQwZI/AAAAAAAAASE/WKk_P6S5B38-ynPiJu3McyY4f1Z2JAOPgCLcB/s320/IMG_4408.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CZK00qC5alM/V9m2nvqeldI/AAAAAAAAASI/voFJK2dB8E0yD9v5V-DYlAuVYcYErATeACLcB/s1600/IMG_4422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CZK00qC5alM/V9m2nvqeldI/AAAAAAAAASI/voFJK2dB8E0yD9v5V-DYlAuVYcYErATeACLcB/s320/IMG_4422.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prior to the official start of the conference, the NC AIDS Action Network, along with the North Carolina AIDS Training and Education Center (NCATEC), hosted PrEPing for 2017: North Carolina Moves Forward, a PrEP-centered pre-conference summit, on Friday, September 9th, 2016 at The Hawthorne Inn and Conference Center in Winston-Salem. The summit covered PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and future plans to expand PrEP access throughout the state. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"With North Carolina, along with the rest of the deep South, being in the heart of the current HIV epidemic, our state needs to increase HIV/AIDS prevention efforts statewide through syringe access, safer sex education in schools, and, through access to PrEP,’ says Amanda Stem, Advocacy Supervisor at the Western North Carolina AIDS Project in Asheville, NC. ‘North Carolina currently has two cities on the list of top 15 cities in the nation with the highest amounts of new HIV infections, which are Greensboro and Charlotte and increasing access to PrEP in our state is a vital tool in reducing transmission rates. PrEP is another tool in the toolkit for prevention but studies show it is highly effective, especially when used with condoms, antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV, and drug use treatment. HIV is not a virus with a one shot cure-all and right now it takes many tools to prevent and treat, but if this proven prevention method is out there, then why aren't we making it easier to get?"</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Advocates are optimistic for the future of people living with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina. This past year, the NC AIDS Action Network has experienced various legislative victories for the NC HIV/AIDS community on the state and federal levels, including the NC General Assembly expanding the AIDS Drug Assistance Program to allow the program to use funds for premium assistance and Congress unanimously passing legislation that would modernize the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funding formula, which would allocate HOPWA funding based on the number of people currently living with HIV instead of the current cumulative formula.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Christina Adeleke, NCAAN Communications and Development Coordinator</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-50524865825057016192016-08-30T08:48:00.000-07:002016-08-30T08:48:03.226-07:00Welcome Matt Martin to NCAAN!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Comfort is something that we focus on in every aspect of our lives. We want clothes that are made from the softest materials, beds that mold to fit our bodies just right, and even technology that makes it so we never have to leave the comfort of our couch. Think about it! From birth, children are given comfort objects that help them when they are fussy or upset, so it only makes sense that, in everything we do, our goal is to be comfortable. The funny thing is, it wasn’t until I became uncomfortable that I truly became happy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I graduated from high school, I had my whole future planned out. I would go to college with my scholarship papers in hand, major in music education, take all the classes I needed, have a stellar experience with my student teaching program, graduate with my degree, obtain a job as a middle school band teacher, and live happily ever after. It was set. Music was my “comfort” zone that I excelled in, so naturally that was the career path that I chose. I spent my entire college career making sure that I stayed on track to make my future as comfortable as possible. I got a call, after graduating in 2013, which offered me a job as the band teacher of my very own middle school program. Alas, everything that I had been working so hard for had finally come into fruition, and it was time to make my plans a reality.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I began my teaching career, within days I realized that I was unfulfilled. Here I was, twenty-two years old, doing exactly what I had planned for so long, and I wasn’t happy. My “comfort” had quickly become the thing that obligated me every day when I woke up. I realized that in my years of preparing myself for my future, I completely forgot to find what really fulfilled me. I was so concerned with staying inside the box of my “comfort” zone, that I let my passions go to the wayside. In the name of my “comfort,” I became uncomfortable.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The interesting thing about being uncomfortable is that it forces you to fight for yourself and approach life in a different way. As I continued to be unhappy with everything that I tried in my teaching career, I started seeking out what it was that I truly wanted. I reflected on the things from my past that truly made me feel fulfilled, and one common trait kept showing up: fighting for what was right. For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about helping people and advocating for social justice. I wasn’t always able to be super involved because of the predetermined plans I had set for my earlier self, but, when I was able to partake in issues of advocacy, an overwhelming feeling of fulfillment consumed me. Even in my teaching career, I realized the part of the job that I did enjoy was when I was able to advocate for a student who was struggling. So, there it was, my answer to the lack of fulfillment, staring me directly in the face. I knew what I needed to do.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After two years of being unhappy and unfulfilled, I took the leap of faith and decided to resign from my “comfort” plan. I did all that I could to become involved in issues of social justice and advocacy in order to make my passions a reality. It wasn’t easy. I applied to job after job with no feedback; I volunteered with advocacy organizations whenever I could; and, though I was tired and stressed and worried, the satisfaction and passion that I felt far outweighed any fear that I had. I finally landed a job with the TurnOUT! Charlotte campaign, then again with the TurnOUT! NC campaign. For the first time, I woke up every morning excited for life and the fight for justice that I knew was my purpose in life. I found that the fight for intersectional equality introduced me to a side of myself that I didn’t know existed, and it wasn’t until I made myself uncomfortable that I truly became happy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, it is after all of this that I get to say that I am ecstatic to join the team of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network as the Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator. I am ready to join in this fight to empower and advocate for those impacted by HIV/AIDS. I care so deeply for people and equality, and I will do all that I can to make a difference in this world. Your struggle is my struggle. Your fight is my fight. </span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the words of Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Matt Martin, NCAAN Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-53271222912384366102016-08-09T11:16:00.001-07:002016-08-09T11:16:06.158-07:00Note from Rep. Graig Meyer<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was pleased to participate in NCAAN’s HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day. It taught me an important lesson about risk and stigma.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been in a monogamous relationship for more than twenty years. I don’t use intravenous drugs. I don’t have any reason to believe that I could possibly have HIV.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then why was I nervous about getting tested? What in the world could I be afraid of?<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stigma. What if? What will people think?<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’re still fighting stigma, and that’s why it’s important for NCAAN to continue their advocacy. With all of the medical advances on HIV and AIDS treatment, we are still fighting a battle of human minds. We can’t stop the spread of HIV/AIDS without people getting tested. And people won’t get tested while we still have such stigma.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I commend NCAAN for your important work to keep our focus on addressing HIV/AIDS and caring for those who have the disease.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rep. Graig Meyer<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NCGA House District 50</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Serving Orange and Durham Counties</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-4500814637127648232016-07-08T12:40:00.001-07:002016-07-08T12:40:15.740-07:00PrEP Experience<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few years ago, I had an HIV scare. At the time, I knew nothing about HIV or the ways that it can be transmitted. Shortly after this scare I set up a time to meet with a health educator at my local testing site to discuss prevention options. Working together we created a plan that was simple yet effective. One of the options that we discussed was pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This once a day medication has helped expand the prevention options for gay and bisexual men. The pill helps to prevent HIV infection by at least</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/pdf/2015-11-24-vitalsigns.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">90 percent</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when taken daily and has an even higher rate of protection when combined with condom use. Current predictions from the CDC estimate that</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6446a4.htm?s_cid=mm6446a4_w" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 in every 4</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> gay and bisexual men could benefit from use of PrEP. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I decided to begin using PrEP nine months ago when I came to UNC. PrEP has been a good addition to the ways in which I protect myself against HIV. Initially, issues around availability, cost, and adherence made PrEP seem like an unlikely option. However, these concerns were addressed using online and local tools and resources available in North Carolina. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PrEP is widely available throughout the Triangle area. This</span><a href="https://www.med.unc.edu/ncaidstraining/prep/PrEP-for-consumers" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">interactive map</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, created through UNC’s School of Medicine, helps both providers and patients identify PrEP providers throughout the state. On campus, I was able to simply talk with my primary care provider at the</span><a href="https://campushealth.unc.edu/health-topics/sexual-health" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student Health Center</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about my sexual health and interest in PrEP. My provider ordered a couple of blood tests, wrote me a prescription and sent me on my way. For students with insurance through UNC, the prescription is filled by a specialty pharmacy that delivers the medication directly to your home.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I initially thought cost would be one of the largest barriers, but found that</span><a href="http://www.truvada.com/truvada-patient-assistance" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PrEP payment assistance programs</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are available and may help to cover the cost of the medication. These programs are designed to help make PrEP more affordable and accessible for people with and without insurance. Originally, the prescription would have cost $30 with student insurance, but after co-pay assistance program was applied, the medication was free.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lastly, daily adherence to this medication is key to its effectiveness. Users must take the pill at a similar time each day for successful use. I have found it helpful to set simple reminders or use</span><a href="http://evisit.com/top-apps-improve-medication-adherence/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">apps</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that signal when to take my medication.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-c56a2a8f-cc03-5205-bc45-0ce4637c1017"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The introduction of PrEP has revolutionized the options that gay and bisexual men have to protect themselves against HIV. I share my experience using PrEP as a way to start a conversation on how to connect to resources and craft your own HIV prevention plan using the resources in your community.</span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Ryan Drab, NCAAN intern</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-72943881189819028542016-07-01T09:00:00.002-07:002016-07-01T09:00:34.905-07:00Thrilling Week for HIV Advocacy in NC!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The General Assembly is wrapping up their work today, and it’s anticipated that they’ll finish this year’s legislative session over the weekend.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In many ways, this has been a thrilling week to do HIV/AIDS advocacy in our state. We launched a campaign last December to support premium assistance for AIDS Drug Assistance Program patients in North Carolina. You showed up to support this campaign in a big way. Advocates spoke out in the media, met with legislators to educate them about this topic, and we packed the Senate gallery during HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day with dozens of community members from across the state speaking up for increased access to health insurance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our hard work paid off. The budget passed this week includes a provision authorizing ADAP to create a health insurance premium assistance program! On top of that, the legislature passed legislation legalizing syringe exchange programs in North Carolina. The governor is expected to sign both bills, and these measures are important tools our state needs to end AIDS and will save lives.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even with these significant victories, I’ve been reminded of the challenges still ahead to make sure everyone in our community is afforded dignity and respect. The syringe exchange language was added at the last minute to a bill limiting public access to police body cameras opposed by many of our partners working in social justice. Legislative leadership has failed to repeal HB2, and is still discussing a proposed fix that would further stigmatize and shame our trans friends and family. Even in light of big victories, we must recommit ourselves to advocating for our entire community.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we prepare for future efforts, I hope you’ll plan to join us later this fall at our annual HIV/AIDS Advocacy Conference hosted with the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This year’s conference will be September 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8.799999999999999px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at Winston-Salem State University.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks. We’ve got some exciting things in store for this year, including a pre-conference the day before focused on PrEP access, dynamic workshops, and the opportunity to reconnect with movement leaders from across our state.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our community is stronger when we work together. I can’t wait to see what’s next.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-feecad01-a72f-a725-c2e8-c3cf3c22e178"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Lee </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-90051097480614784102016-06-30T11:49:00.001-07:002016-06-30T11:49:05.261-07:00Stonewall, 1981, HB2, and Orlando: Stories of Resilience<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The month of June is celebrated as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride month. The celebration honors the June 28</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, which is regarded by some as the beginning of the modern LGBT movement. The month provides opportunity to recognize and reflect on the progress that our communities have made, and to recommit ourselves to overcoming current challenges we face.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The recent attacks at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando have raised concerns and questions around safety and progress for many LGBT people across the United States. As we individually and collectively process this tragedy, I have found it helpful to reflect on the resiliency and resolve the LGBT community has shown when faced with unbelievable challenges in the past. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">June 5</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> marked the 35</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> anniversary of the 1981 CDC report identifying what would later become known as HIV. It is currently estimated that around 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV, with</span><a href="http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/cd/stds/figures/Epi_Profile_2013.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">around 36,300</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of those being North Carolinians impacted by the virus. At the onset of the epidemic, our communities organized, responded and cared for those affected by HIV. This response organically grew out of our own resilience and continues to move the conversation forward around HIV.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Currently, LGBT North Carolinians face the challenge of House Bill 2 (HB2), a piece of legislation severely limiting transgender individuals access to bathrooms, in addition to many other civil rights violations outlined in the bill. National and local organizations, such as</span><a href="http://southernersonnewground.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Southerners on New Ground</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (SONG),</span><a href="http://equalitync.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Equality North Carolina,</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and</span><a href="http://www.acluofnorthcarolina.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">American Civil Liberties Union</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (ACLU) have led our communities in the fight against HB2. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This organizing is important, yet it is the everyday resiliency and ability for LGBT North Carolinians to exist and live full lives within our state, despite the current legislations attempts to impede our ability to do so, which continues to inspire me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hvA5om-WXXM/V3VpA7XFMkI/AAAAAAAAAPI/Kp_SlgRr6uw-cyZHoW8DOiBPj4ntnf1rQCLcB/s1600/Image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hvA5om-WXXM/V3VpA7XFMkI/AAAAAAAAAPI/Kp_SlgRr6uw-cyZHoW8DOiBPj4ntnf1rQCLcB/s320/Image-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On Saturday, June 25</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, NCAAN participated in the local pride celebration in Salisbury, NC. This event was not large or flashy like those in major cities, but rather was homegrown and intimate with local community members celebrating their love and appreciation for one another. Jennifer, a community member from Concord, NC, talked to me about the importance of her local LGBT affirming church congregation. She described feeling lost and isolated before joining her current bible study, and described how this space provides safety and affirmation simply through its existence. </span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-b5952eeb-a29f-e98a-3183-7015e1f23c01"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jennifer’s words are particularly important as our communities continue to work through what happened in Orlando. Her words provide yet another example of the importance of our individual and collective resilience as we continue our fight against the challenges we face.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Ryan Drab, NCAAN intern</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-39888001190161717672016-06-21T08:31:00.001-07:002016-06-21T08:31:14.138-07:00HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day 2016<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On June 7</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 2016, the North Carolina AIDS Action Network (“NCAAN”) held its annual HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day at the North Carolina General Assembly in Raleigh. The convening brought together around 50 advocates from across the state to talk with legislators and policymakers about issues related to HIV/AIDS.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The morning kicked off with an orientation and training on how to conduct legislative meetings and concisely communicate information. NCAAN staff outlined key campaigns including providing ADAP insurance premium assistance and the impact of closing the Medicaid gap for people living with HIV/AIDS. Advocates were organized into five regional advocacy groups and were provided with a list of legislators to target for their morning visits.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The groups were organized to highlight the diverse and intersecting communities and constituents impacted by and working on addressing HIV/AIDS in North Carolina. For example, one group consisted of local community advocates from Alamance County, legal experts from Duke, UNC public health professionals and local and regional organizers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Advocates met with many legislators throughout the day and shared their perspectives and information about ADAP funds being used to pay for healthcare premiums and providing compressive treatment and care for those living with HIV/AIDS. Building diverse coalitions of stakeholders allowed policymakers to hear a variety of perspectives on an issue and strengthened advocacy efforts through each individual’s expertise in specific areas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day provides the unique opportunity to bring together a community of advocates who are working together to create change throughout North Carolina. One of the groups had the opportunity to meet with the Democratic Minority Leader, Representative Larry Hall of Durham, and discussed emerging HIV prevention strategies, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (“PrEP”), and the potential impact they could have for many North Carolinians. They were able to highlight a number of issues including how increasing patient access to the medication would slow the spread of HIV in North Carolina, as well as affordability and insurance coverage issues.</span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-765c67f5-7387-6cb6-07bf-a602897f1eb0"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking directly with Rep. Hall allowed advocates to provide him with relevant information and follow-up on any questions he had. Additionally, building and strengthening the relationships between our grassroots advocates, elected officials and the leadership of NCAAN allows us to continue the important work of addressing HIV/AIDS here in North Carolina. </span></span><br />
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Ryan Drab, NCAAN intern</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-15211669970788757992016-06-01T11:31:00.002-07:002016-06-01T11:41:13.581-07:00Speaking Up for the HIV Community on Medicaid Reform<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation that began the process of privatizing Medicaid in our state. Under the bill passed, “the state would enter into contracts with three companies that would offer statewide health insurance plans for Medicaid recipients, as well as up to 10 contracts with “provider-led entities” - <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article36223626.html#storylink=cpy">networks of doctors and hospitals and that would offer regional plans.</a>” </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-90990ec8-0d38-4156-013a-fe9ce7866dcc" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The process of privatization commenced this spring with a listening series hosted by the Department of Health and Human Services to receive input on a draft waiver that’s being submitted to the federal government today. Since a large amount of Medicaid dollars are provided by the feds, they must approve the waiver if North Carolina is to make significant changes to our Medicaid program. Listening sessions were held across the state, and NCAAN had advocates attend a number of the sessions to speak during public comment about the needs of those living with HIV in North Carolina. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HIV doctors and advocates spoke at the first hearing in Raleigh. Dr. Michelle Ogle, an HIV doctor from Vance County </span><a href="http://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2016/04/01/dhhs-officials-hear-critiques-feedback-on-proposed-medicaid-plan/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spoke about the need for HIV+ patients</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be able to access specialty care. At the listening session in Huntersville, Christina Adeleke, NCAAN Communications and Development Coordinator, </span><a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article36223626.html#storylink=cpy" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spoke about the importance of closing the Medicaid coverage gap in our state</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and heard the stories of many who would benefit if the state did so. In Greenville, NCAAN advocates </span><a href="http://www.reflector.com/News/2016/04/15/Providers-share-concerns-at-Medicaid-reform-hearing.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Esther Ross and Dr. Paul Cook spoke about how important Medicaid is to many low-income North Carolinians</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, including those living with HIV. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to the listening sessions, DHHS provided an opportunity for citizens and advocacy groups to submit written comments. </span><a href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/314506397/NCAAN-and-DHJC-Medicaid-Comments" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NCAAN partnered with the Duke Health Justice Clinic to submit written comments</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on our concerns related to maintaining and expanding care for those living with HIV on Medicaid. Our comments were written in partnership with a advisory committee of individuals living with HIV, medicaid providers, advocates and staff at AIDS service organizations, and endorsed by over a dozen national, regional, and North Carolina based organizations. </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1tXadUFhgMk/V08sGMR8OiI/AAAAAAAAANY/WJRCf9WdRWQmDuJDesYXTxridoxKWrjLwCLcB/s1600/Greenville%2BMedicaid%2BPicture%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1tXadUFhgMk/V08sGMR8OiI/AAAAAAAAANY/WJRCf9WdRWQmDuJDesYXTxridoxKWrjLwCLcB/s320/Greenville%2BMedicaid%2BPicture%2B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today, the waiver will be officially submitted to the federal government. When it was presented at the legislature this morning, the staff even noted that one of the major themes they received during public comment was the need to maintain access to HIV specialists. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">This waiver submission is just the first step in a long process, and North Carolina’s new Medicaid system is going to built in the months and years ahead. We’ll continue to advocate for the needs of those living with HIV in our state as we implement a new Medicaid system. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Lee Storrow is the Executive Director of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-44333845696844360352016-05-04T10:46:00.001-07:002016-05-04T10:48:05.559-07:00Good Health Outcomes Shouldn't Be a Partisan Issue <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yesterday, </span><a href="http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/05/02/cid.ciw277.abstract" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a new study on Virginia’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (ADAP) was released in Clinical Infectious Diseases, one of the leading scientific journals of infectious diseases. The study looked at a cohort of individuals enrolled in Virginia’s ADAP. About half of the individuals were enrolled in a qualified health plan with premium and co-payment assistance from ADAP, and the other half only received HIV medication. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-ca5131ec-7cde-ac8d-a1ec-95608dafcd0d" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The study found that access to full health insurance was associated with better viral suppression rates </span><a href="https://news.virginia.edu/content/affordable-care-act-has-benefitted-virginians-hiv-study-finds" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by 6 percentage points</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “an essential outcome for individuals and public health.” Dr. Kathleen McManus, the lead author of the study, </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0bNUffAZpo" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talks about the outcomes in this video</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Dr. McManus notes in the video, there are some “political questions about this study… Good health outcomes shouldn’t be a partisan issue.” </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While North Carolina does offer co-pay assistance for those living with HIV, we are one of just a few states in the country that does not support access to health insurance for ADAP clients by paying for premiums. Lack of assistance with premiums has resulted in underutilization of the co-pay assistance that is offered. In North Carolina, only 180 ADAP clients were in the insurance assistance program as of April 8, 2016, in contrast to over 3000 clients in Virginia. With this study, there is clear scientific evidence about the benefit of premium assistance. The North Carolina General Assembly needs to follow the lead of Virginia and enact premium assistance in short order during the legislative short session this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Lee Storrow is the executive director of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network. Allison Rice is the director of the Health Justice Clinic at Duke Law School and a member of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network Board of Directors. </i></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-44762431814808894062016-04-13T11:17:00.000-07:002016-04-13T11:17:07.055-07:00The Moment I Realized Medicaid Reform Was a "Big Deal"<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have to be completely honest, health insurance was not something I really thought too much about until I got older. Like, “you are finally an adult with bills so you need to think about this now” older. As a child, it was not something I actively thought about. One, I was a kid so health insurance was definitely not high on my priority list and two, I was not a “sick kid,” so I only really went to the doctor’s office when I had to get vaccinated or get a physical to play sports at school (which was also rare). It was not until I reached the magic age of 26 that I was faced with the harsh reality that health insurance is necessary. And very expensive. </span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-458e3459-10d4-b6a4-3d56-845003c1e64d" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like most young adults, my first job did not immediately shower upon me loads of money. I made enough money for bills, essentials, and literally nothing else, including health insurance. When I tried to get coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the only plans that I qualified for were completely out of my budget. When I tried to apply for Medicaid, I was told that I made too much money to qualify but if I had a child, things would be different, which was puzzling to me. Did the the fact that I had a child or not change my very real reality of not being able to afford health insurance? Before I had too much time to seriously weigh those options, I got offered a new job...WITH BENEFITS. To say I was excited would be an understatement. Now, I did not have to load up on vitamins to prevent myself from getting sick or entertain the idea of having a child in order to get health coverage. I assumed that everyone who was struggling to get health coverage was like me and when they found the right job or opportunity, they too, would be covered as well. I was very wrong.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On March 31, 2016, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) held a public hearing in Huntersville, NC, in order to get public input about the privatization of Medicaid in North Carolina. The </span><a href="http://kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/new-estimates-of-eligibility-for-aca-coverage-among-the-uninsured/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kaiser Family Foundation</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> estimates that in North Carolina, 244,000 people do not have any option for affordable coverage; however, it is estimated that nearly 500,000 people would be eligible for coverage if the state expanded Medicaid and closed the coverage gap. Everyone from health providers to legislators to community organizers were all in attendance. Also in attendance were Medicaid beneficiaries, the people whose care will ultimately be affected by these proposed changes. After a brief introductory presentation about the proposed Medicaid reforms, the hearing was opened for public comments. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As expected, we heard from a number of doctors and legislators, whose main concerns appeared to be financial. Most doctors present were in support of Medicaid expansion because they saw first hand the negative implications of not closing the gap in their hospitals. They reported about patients who would come to the emergency room instead of a general practitioner for treatment because they could not afford the doctor’s visit. Since emergency rooms do not turn away patients, hospitals are forced to eat up these additional costs. Expanding Medicaid coverage reduces uncompensated care that hospitals and other healthcare providers currently absorb, which would lead to a stronger health system that is better able to take on innovative approaches to reduce costs and improve care.</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Legislators who spoke during the public hearing discussed the financial ramifications of closing the Medicaid gap and the financial impact that it would have on the state’s budget. The Cone Health Foundation released a report analyzing the economic impact of expanding Medicaid in 2016 and found that closing the gap in North Carolina would result in net savings for the state budget, despite any new costs of the program. The </span><a href="http://www.conehealthfoundation.com/app/files/public/4202/The-Economic-and-Employment-Costs-of-Not-Expanding-Medicaid-in-North-Carolina.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">report</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> also estimated that if North Carolina expanded coverage in 2016, the state would see $318 million in net state savings from 2016 to 2020. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the public hearing went on, the conversation started to take on a more personal tone. More and more participants shared their personal experiences of being in the Medicaid coverage gap. We heard from a man without children who previously lived in another state where he had coverage, but was later placed in the coverage gap after he moved to North Carolina and later sustained serious injuries that required medical treatment that he could not afford. Another woman shared the story of her son’s current unique placement in the coverage gap. A few years ago, this woman’s son suffered a severe brain injury that required extensive long-term medical treatment, which was covered under Medicaid. However, a slight change in injury classification requirements resulted in her son not qualifying for Medicaid, placing him in the coverage gap. Why should someone with a severe brain injury not get the treatment he needs because he does not have the “right kind of brain injury?”</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Towards the end of the public hearing, an older man talked about how he was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He stated that if it were not for Medicaid, he would literally be dead because he would not be able to afford all of the medications that he would need to stay healthy. It was not until this man spoke that I really felt the gravity of this debate. I knew that not expanding Medicaid would prevent lower-income people from getting coverage, but what I did not realize was that not expanding Medicaid would literally result in death for the most vulnerable people, especially those living with chronic illnesses. In North Carolina, 1,100 people have </span><a href="http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2014/01/30/opting-out-of-medicaid-expansion-the-health-and-financial-impacts/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">died</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as a result of being in the Medicaid coverage gap. Expanding Medicaid is so much more than just a “great idea;” for many, it could be the difference between life and death. Let that sink in for a minute. Expanding Medicaid will literally save lives. When you think of it in that context, it immediately becomes a black and white issue. We have to not only expand Medicaid in North Carolina, but we must also be sure to represent the needs of everyone affected to ensure that no more lives are lost unnecessarily. The need to expand Medicaid coverage in North Carolina can no longer be seen as just an option that policy-makers are entertaining; it needs to be a priority. We cannot sit and watch the people of our state die around us while we have the opportunity to stop it. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17592593050933341757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-47767278246576789652016-03-14T05:17:00.000-07:002016-03-14T10:30:56.680-07:00Meet Christina <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Last week, <a href="http://www.ncaan.org/staff.html">Christina Adeleke joined our team as communications and development coordinator.</a> Christina is a graduate of Lee University and Charlotte School of Law. She comes to us after working with Equality NC and the Freedom Center for Social Justice. Christina will be based in Charlotte and working out of Carolinas CARE Partnership, allowing us to increase our work in an area of the state with our highest HIV rate. Learn a little more about Christina below, and feel free to drop her a note at Christina@NCAAN.org. I know she's looking forward to getting to know our community! </b></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 0px;">
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Orison Swett Marden said, “Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.” In my short journey in life, I have learned that it is foolish to base your life on what you see instead of what you can imagine and dream for yourself.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Being the child of Nigerian immigrants definitely has had a unique impact on my upbringing. My parents came to the United States with a couple hundred dollars in their pockets and a desire to achieve the American Dream. They left a country with limited opportunities to the land full of opportunity. Leaving everything that they knew involved so many risks, but it was a gamble that they were willing to take. If coming to America allowed them to achieve their dreams, then America is where they needed to be.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0px;">My parents worked incredibly hard to find success in America and we were, by no means, the family with a money tree in our backyard. My mother worked nights and my father worked during the day so it was always difficult to make sure that my brothers and I were being watched. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday were the norm. Things like Whoppers from Burger King were considered treats and days like Christmas were just another day. As a child, I was observant and aware of my surroundings. I encountered people who were in tough and hopeless situations. Even though my family was struggling, my parents always taught us to still reach out to those that were in need around us. Even as a child, I always had a strong desire to help the people around me. If it meant offering the little that I had to someone I felt needed it more than I did or sticking up for the classmate that was being bullied, I always felt the “need” to intervene the best way that I could. This “need” would definitely shape who I would become in the future.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0px;">Even though my parents eventually found success and achieved the American Dream, I did not forget where I came from or how I was raised. I did not forget the people who were in hopeless situations. I felt like the older I became, the more my eyes were opened to how bad people’s situations actually were. It was not just the fact that some people did not have enough to eat or a place to live. It was the mind-blowing fact that some people were ostracized because of who they loved or for simply being themselves. It was also the fact that the most vulnerable people were consistently overlooked by a government designed to “protect them” My heart broke for these people. I felt the “need” to step in somehow. These people who I had lived alongside of were in need of someone who could speak on their behalf.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0px;">I always knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to advocate for those who were unable or scared to speak for themselves. At that point, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. As a lawyer, I would be able to stand alongside those who were in need and empower them to take control of their lives and better their situations. I would be able to provide justice for those who had been wronged. I would be able to be a voice for those who did not have a voice. I wish I did not have to do this, but we live in a fallen world. So many injustices go on around us in the world and not much is being done to help or prevent them from happening. If no one else is willing to do anything, then I will. I refuse to just sit there and let these things continue to happen as they are.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 2.4;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 2.4;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With all of that being said, I am so honored to be a part of the NCAAN team. NCAAN has demonstrated and exemplified its core mission of improving the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina and I cannot wait to join the fight! I have big dreams of empowering the powerless and restoring what people could have been to who they can become. Let’s get to work!</span></span></blockquote>
</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bt4TOJeUy3Q/VuaqkCXOsgI/AAAAAAAAAOU/JyVVcKxlhlgY50Xqd9H77Yxf6hmlBu_UQ/s1600/Adeleke%2BE-Visa%2BPicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bt4TOJeUy3Q/VuaqkCXOsgI/AAAAAAAAAOU/JyVVcKxlhlgY50Xqd9H77Yxf6hmlBu_UQ/s320/Adeleke%2BE-Visa%2BPicture.jpg" title="" width="240" /></a></div>
Lee Storrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13096614556602164911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-22626074064725370062016-03-10T03:55:00.000-08:002016-03-10T03:55:49.855-08:00Ending HIV in Women and Girls<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
35 years into the HIV/AIDS epidemic, I’m afraid many of us
still hold the same misconceptions and stereotypes that were prevalent in the
early days of this disease; such as HIV/AIDS is a disease that occurs
exclusively among men who have unprotected sex with other men. And men in the
United States are still diagnosed at higher rates than women. But nationally,
about <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/gender/women/">25% of people livingwith HIV are women</a>, and the vast majority of them contract the infection
from heterosexual contact. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In North
Carolina, <a href="http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/cd/stds/figures/factsheet_HIVandWomenNC_2014.pdf">29%
of those living with HIV are women</a>, and black women have the highest rate
of infection. While messages of practicing safer sex and addressing risky
behaviors are good educational strategies for preventing transmission, we can’t
ignore the larger cultural norms that can make women vulnerable to HIV in ways
that many men may not be.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On <a href="http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwghaad/">National
Women and Girls HIV Day</a>, we take the opportunity to shine a light on this
vulnerability, allowing us to develop more effective prevention methods. One
vulnerability is the incidence of domestic and sexual violence many women face
over their lifetimes. While men and boys can also experience this violence,
women are much more likely to (particularly sexual violence). What does this
mean in terms of HIV infections? Women who are in abusive relationships may have
a difficult time negotiating condom use or safer sexual practices; and they may
not always be able to negotiate consensual sex. Women who have experienced/are
experiencing domestic and sexual violence are more likely to abuse
drugs/alcohol, making them more susceptible to the risky behaviors that
increase their risk of HIV infection. And <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ipv/13_243567_green_aag-a.pdf">in
a vicious cycle</a>, it’s been found that as women in abusive relationships are
at a higher risk of contracting any STI, including HIV, those women living with
HIV are also more likely to experience domestic violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And HIV+ women who are experiencing abuse <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ipv/13_243567_green_aag-a.pdf">have
more health problems</a> (such as depression) and a more difficult time
managing their status than their counterparts who are not experiencing such
violence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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There are many effective strategies we can take to reduce
these risk factors for women, including providing children and adolescents
comprehensive, medically-accurate sex education that addresses consent and
domestic/sexual violence. We also need to change our cultural norms that allow
sexist and misogynistic violence to go unchallenged; and we need to hold
abusers accountable for their actions. And in North Carolina, we can also
expand Medicaid as an effective strategy in reducing risk. Not only will this
provide women increased access to health care, HIV testing and treatment, and
mental health services, but increasing access to our health care system can be
an <a href="http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2015/11/09/want-to-reduce-domestic-violence-then-expand-medicaid/">effective
tool in preventing domestic violence</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>35 years into this epidemic, we need to use
every tool we have as we move closer to our goal of raising an AIDS-free
generation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
- Tara Romano is the <a href="http://www.ncwu.org/">President of NC Women United</a>. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYn4e8vJSow/VuFgHHvMDPI/AAAAAAAAAN8/mQs4M4eWrj8/s1600/T-Romano-WomenAdvance-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYn4e8vJSow/VuFgHHvMDPI/AAAAAAAAAN8/mQs4M4eWrj8/s200/T-Romano-WomenAdvance-1.jpg" title="" width="161" /></a></div>
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Lee Storrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13096614556602164911noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-77423881434310769562016-02-22T09:56:00.000-08:002016-02-22T09:56:04.125-08:00NC AIDS Action Network supports non-discrimination<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">We've written on our blog in the past about the intersection of <a href="http://ncaan.blogspot.com/2015/06/one-gay-couple-divorced-when-we-won.html">(gay) marriage</a>, <a href="http://ncaan.blogspot.com/2014/10/love-saves-lives-why-marriage-equality.html">HIV stigma, and LGBTQ rights</a>. I'm reminded of how our issues intersect today as the Charlotte City Council prepares to debate and vote on proposed fully-inclusive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ citizens. As the largest city in North Carolina, Charlotte sets a tone for the rest of the state, and we're hopeful that these ordinances will pass tonight. Mecklenburg County has the highest rate of HIV in the state, and we know residents struggling with an HIV diagnosis may also be struggling with their own understanding of their gender identity or sexual orientation. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Our movement owes a note of thanks and appreciation to the many organizations who've been leaders on this issue, including our coalition partners Equality NC, MeckPAC, the Human Rights Campaign, and ACLU of NC. If you are a Charlotte resident and support the ordinance, you can attend the city council meeting tonight at 6:30 PM at 600 East Fourth Street. Wear blue in support of non-discrimination, and show up early if you want a seat. We'll be live-tweeting tonight's meeting. Earlier today I wrote the City Council the e-mail below asking them for their support of tonight's ordinance. Let's hope they do the right thing tonight. </span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Dear Mayor Roberts and the Charlotte City Council, </b></div>
<div class="p2">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span class="s1"></span><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b>I know you've received a lot of messages about the non-discrimination ordinance you are voting on </b></span><b>this evening, so I'll keep my comments brief. Our organization wrote you last year requesting that you pass the ordinances proposed at that time. On behalf of our statewide membership, including over 2,000 residents of Charlotte, I'm making that same request today.</b></div>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span class="s1"></span><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b>Approximately half of all people living with HIV and AIDS in North Carolina are gay, bisexual, or transgender, and HIV stigma and homophobia are closely linked. They reinforce each other, and prevent individuals from being their true selves and accessing healthcare, employment, and basic accommodations. Not everyone in our communities has legal protection against discrimination, and you can take one small step to change that tonight. </b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span class="s1"></span><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b>Please be in touch if I can answer any questions or provide information before your vote this evening. </b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span class="s1"></span><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b>All the best, </b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span class="s1"></span><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b>Lee Storrow </b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b>Executive Director </b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b>North Carolina AIDS Action Network</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://equalitync.org/cndoc/"><img alt="" border="0" height="184" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YDLa7QbBvQk/VstLa9oBMqI/AAAAAAAAAeY/7utvFjjisNM/s640/charlotterotator2.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="s1"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</div>
Claire Hermannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14998820497629769149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-37753721471584542502016-02-08T07:14:00.004-08:002016-02-08T07:14:42.292-08:00It's time to end disparities- National Black HIV/AIDS Day in North Carolina <div class="normal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Elected officials, faith leaders, and community advocates
gathered at the North Carolina State Capitol on February 7th at 5 P</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">M for </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/178275075870510/?ref=1&feed_story_type=117&action_history=%5B%7B%22surface%22%3A%22permalink%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22surface%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%5B%5D%7D%5D"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-highlight: white; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">I Am My
Brother/Sister’s Keeper, a vigil for Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. Speakers spoke about the
importance of addressing the HIV disparities in the African-American community
and the need to close the Medicaid coverage gap in North Carolina. “We need to
make the African-American community more aware about HIV,” said Reverend Earl
Johnson of Saint Martin Baptist Church. “Rates are increasing, and we must
educate the community about HIV treatment and prevention.” </span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrTfFdKJotY/VriwywICvoI/AAAAAAAAAd4/KqPXiQ9KsEM/s1600/NBHAAD%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrTfFdKJotY/VriwywICvoI/AAAAAAAAAd4/KqPXiQ9KsEM/s320/NBHAAD%2B1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Former
Wake County Superior Court Judge Abraham Jones delivered prepared remarks on
behalf of State Representative Rosa Gill, stating “</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If North Carolina
would close the Medicaid coverage gap, hundreds of HIV+ North Carolinians would
have access to full health insurance. Closing the Medicaid coverage gap would
provide health insurance to over half a million North Carolinians. A study done
by the Cone Health Foundation and Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust found that
closing the gap would generate millions of dollars in tax revenue, and would
have created 29,000 jobs in our state in 2015, including over 3,000 here in
Wake County.”</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
event was sponsored by the </span><span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-highlight: white;">Alliance of
AIDS Services - Carolina, Crape Myrtle Festival, LGBT Center of Raleigh, Martin
Street Baptist Church, North Carolina AIDS Action Network, North Carolina
Justice Center, North Carolina NAACP, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, and
Triangle Empowerment Center, Inc.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">_____________________________________________</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BACKGROUND:</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<span style="background: white; color: #141823; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-highlight: white;">February 7, 2016 marked the
16th year for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), a national HIV
testing and treatment community mobilization initiative targeted at Blacks in
the United States and the Diaspora. NBHAAD was founded in 1999 as a national
response to the growing HIV and AIDS epidemic in African American communities.
The national theme this year is “I am my Brother/Sister’s Keeper: Fight
HIV/AIDS.” </span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="line-height: 125%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="line-height: 125%;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 125%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-highlight: white;">The HIV and AIDS epidemic is a significant public health challenge in
North Carolina. Currently, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human
Services estimates that there are 36,300 people living with HIV in the state.
Like the rest of the south, the epidemic is also defined by significant disparities
based on race. According to the 2013 (most recent) North Carolina HIV/STD State
Epidemiologic Profile-</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="line-height: 125%;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 125%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-highlight: white;">Among the newly diagnosed adult/adolescent HIV infections,
Black/African American males had the highest rate at 92.3 per 100,000
adult/adolescent population, which is nearly nine times higher than that for
White/Caucasians (12.0 per 100,000 adult/adolescent population). For females,
the highest rate by race/ethnicity was also among Black/African Americans
females (24.7 per 100,000) adult/adolescent population.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Claire Hermannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14998820497629769149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-77125357581263952872015-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:002015-12-15T06:00:09.200-08:00One Year Late: Closing the Coverage Gap<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>By Lee Storrow, Executive Director, NC AIDS Action Network</i></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tuesday, December 15, 2015, is the final day to apply for health insurance on the exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to guarantee coverage in 2016. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Approximately 460,000 residents of North Carolina are already enrolled in ACA plans. The ACA was a landmark achievement to increase access to health care for all residents of our country, and will have a profound impact on our ability to fight HIV/AIDS. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-af2da948-a24d-970c-1c02-724112e5a2b7" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to creating competitive health insurance marketplaces, broadening Medicaid eligibility is an important component of the ACA's goal of increasing access to healthcare. Unfortunately, to date, our state's political leaders have failed to move on closing the coverage gap in North Carolina. Expanding Medicaid would provide health insurance to over 500,000 North Carolinians, including thousands of people living with HIV.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Expanding Medicaid wouldn't just improve the health of those living in our state, but it would also improve North Carolina's economic wellbeing. A year ago, the Cone Health Foundation and Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust released a <a href="http://www.conehealthfoundation.com/foundation/initiatives/nc-medicaid-expansion/">report detailing the potential benefits of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina</a>. The one-year anniversary of these findings provides an opportunity to look back on what this study shows we've missed out on in North Carolina in the meantime.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the course of this year, our state lost access to $3.3 billion in federal funding. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not only that, but m</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">ore than 29,000 fewer jobs were created this year because of the state's failure to expand Medicaid. While many of these jobs would have been created in the health care industry, according to the study, "the economic benefits ripple out when health care providers purchase additional goods and services and as health care workers use new income to pay their mortgages, buy groceries, pay taxes and so on," leading to job creation in construction, retail and wholesale sectors, and other industries. </span></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we are serious about job creation and a healthier state, it's long past time for North Carolina to expand Medicaid. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431406949177662626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-18409891237399766092015-11-30T12:09:00.001-08:002015-11-30T12:17:15.310-08:00Giving Back to North Carolina’s HIV Fight<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">By<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i></b><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeffery
Williams-Knight </span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many of us are drawn to the possibility of being
a part of a movement that truly gives back and makes positive change in our
communities, our state and beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As a Charlottean, the
supervisor of the Mecklenburg County Health Department’s HIV/STD Community
Testing and Outreach Program, and as a board chair of the North Carolina AIDS
Action Network, I’ve had the unique opportunity to be involved in public education,
HIV/STI testing, community-building and HIV/AIDS policy advocacy. As a result
of this type of work in my city and across my state, HIV/AIDS-related mortality
rates are on the decline, attempts to weaken sex education in the state have
thus far failed, and new drug treatments are limiting the impact of HIV.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nevertheless, our fight is far
from over.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Mecklenburg County remains the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS fight in North
Carolina, with the highest number of reported cases in the state. And our
hard-fought campaigns continue to help maintain and expand our state’s AIDS
Drug Assistance Program, close coverage gaps and expand Medicaid, increase
access to comprehensive sex education and life-saving drugs like<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP),<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"> </span></span><span style="background: white;">and fight the HIV stigma we saw so clearly in the days
and weeks following Charlie Sheen’s disclosure of his HIV status.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fortunately,
a happy coincidence means help is on the way. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In this
season of giving thanks, I invite you to join me in becoming a part of this
movement. I encourage you to be grateful for the HIV/AIDS advocacy that touches
so many in this city, this county, this state and across the South. And I ask
that you lift up this activism by<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/72/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=7157">investing
today in the work that could end the blight of HIV/AIDS in our lifetimes.</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, as we commemorate World
AIDS Day (Dec. 1) this week—a time to unite behind a global movement to end
HIV/AIDS—it’s important to acknowledge that HIV advocacy has never been more
important here at home.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Like World AIDS Day,
#GivingTuesday falls on December 1st, following shopping holidays like Black
Friday and Cyber Monday to unite a global community to look beyond oneself and
give back. That’s why this week I’ll be giving back to our state and local HIV
advocacy organizations with my commitment, my volunteerism and my wallet. After
all, I’ve seen with my own eyes how these often unsung heroes can make a true
difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS in my home city of Charlotte,
Mecklenburg County, and across North Carolina every single day.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> All with a little support from
their communities.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We’re told time and time again,
“Charlotte’s Got A Lot.” <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>In
addition to our many wonderful people and places, I believe this slogan also
references our inexhaustible kindness, our goodwill, and our generosity. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now’s the perfect time to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/72/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=7157">show
it</a>.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeffery Williams-Knight <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is<span style="background: white;"> a board chair of the North Carolina AIDS Action
Network where you can donate today at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/72/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=7157">ncaan.org</a>.</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431406949177662626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-6487602194162257182015-11-19T05:24:00.000-08:002015-11-19T05:27:30.523-08:00#HTGAWM<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38;">by Lee Storrow</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="line-height: 1.38;">I'm a big fan of trashy tv shows. </span><span style="line-height: 20.24px;">
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</span>There’s nothing better on a Thursday night than to sit back and escape your troubles by delving in the drama of #TGIT. Of the Thursday night lineup on ABC informally known as Shondaland (named for producer Shonda Rhimes), </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How to Get Away with Murder </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is my clear favorite.
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<i>How to Get Away With Murder</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> succeeds as a show because of its outlandish plot, compelling characters, and because it depicts the diversity of our daily lives. Viola Davis’ portrayal of Annaliese Keating won her the Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series this year, making her the first African American to win that award.
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<span style="line-height: 1.38;">A primary reasons I love the show is because of it’s portrayal of Connor and Oliver, a mixed-status gay couple. Oliver is the perfect boyfriend. Sweet and geeky, Oliver is the perfect foil to bad boy Connor. They had a rocky start to their relationship in Season One, but just as they were hitting their stride as a couple, Connor found out he is HIV positive. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">Connor (Jack Falahee, left) and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">Oliver (Conrad Ricamora) face</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"> new struggles and triumphs in "How to Get Away With Murder" Season 2, including Connor's HIV status and use of </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">PrEP</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">While Oliver moped around for the season’s first few episodes after finding out the news, Connor didn’t let that be a barrier to continuing his relationship with the man he loved. He went on PrEP, and, shortly after, the couple moved in together.
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Connor and Oliver’s relationship should be celebrated for a positive and realistic portrayal of young gay couple finding their way in the modern world. Connor’s decision to go on PrEP and their discussions about it are the frankest I’ve seen on network TV in 2015.
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At the same time, the couple hasn’t been exclusively defined by Oliver’s HIV status. Recently Oliver has gotten more involved with work at the Keating Law Firm, a the couple experience friction trying to find work-life balance. And while the sex-lives of gay couples are often glossed over in pop culture--a kiss followed by a fade to black--that’s far from the case on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How to Get Away With Murder</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for Connor and Oliver.
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At the end of last week’s episode, we saw several couples engaged in varying degrees of intimacy, the encounters all intercut with each other. In what might have been the hottest vignette of the four, Connor and Oliver were there in the middle--a picture of destigmatization of sexuality and HIV-status.</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px;">
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</span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 15.3333px; line-height: 1.38;">I’ll be tuning in tonight to watch what happens next in the chronicles of Connor and Oliver on the mid-season winter finale. Our fight to combat stigma and make sure those living with HIV is often a political one that finds us in the halls of government buildings.
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But it’s a fight that we must fight in other venues as well, including those of pop culture of Hollywood. Visibility matters, and I hope to see more couples like Connor and Oliver on TV in the years to come. They aren’t perfect (who among us is) but their drama, messiness, and commitment challenges stigma and shows us a path forward for more representation in pop culture. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre;">Lee Storrow is Executive Director of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network.</i></span></div>
<br />Claire Hermannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14998820497629769149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-22717682989175370262015-11-17T10:36:00.000-08:002015-11-17T12:19:40.881-08:00Sheen, Stigma and the South<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There will continue to be much commentary over Charlie Sheen’s interview with The <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT62_com_zimbra_date" style="color: darkblue; cursor: pointer;">Today</span> Show’s Matt Laurer in which Sheen disclosed that he is HIV positive. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Others will likely expand upon problematic elements of the interview. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.8px;">Charlie Sheen (r.) speaks to The Today Show's Matt Laurer on Nov. 17. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was drawn to a positive moment where Lauer named stigma as a barrier toward care for those living with HIV. </span><br />
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<i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And when you say shame in that, the stigma that is attached to this diagnosis is one of the worst parts about it. People don't take action, they don't get help because of that stigma.” </i></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can watch this moment, and Sheen’s response in </span><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT63_com_zimbra_url" style="color: darkblue; cursor: pointer;"><a href="http://www.today.com/health/charlie-sheen-reveals-hes-hiv-positive-today-show-exclusive-t56391" style="color: darkblue; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the first segment of the interview</span></a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shortly after the seven-minute mark. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stigma is a very real barrier to accessing medication and care for many HIV-positive North Carolinians. The stigma of both a HIV diagnosis and association with the gay community prevents people from not only getting tested, but also sharing their diagnosis with family and friends. In turn, this thwarts building the support system necessary to best manage the disease and its consequences. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This stigma has an even greater impact in the American South. Recent research from Duke University Law School shows that poverty rates, lack of education, and social stigma in the south have had the compounding effect of increasing death rates of those diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our community know what works to end this epidemic. Comprehensive sex education in public schools, closing the coverage gap to make sure all North Carolinians have access to medical care and continuing to fully fund programs like the AIDS Drug Assistance Program can put our state on a positive path to end transmission of HIV in our lifetime. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the meantime, we thank Charlie Sheen for sharing his story, as well as Matt Lauer for recognizing the impact stigma had in preventing Sheen and so many others from coming forward sooner. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre;">Lee Storrow is Executive Director of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NC AIDS Action Network will host a timely conversation on the impact of HIV/AIDS stigma in Durham <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT64_com_zimbra_date" style="color: darkblue; cursor: pointer;">this Thursday</span>, <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT65_com_zimbra_date" style="color: darkblue; cursor: pointer;">Nov. 19</span>. Email </span><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT66_com_zimbra_email" style="background-color: white; color: darkblue; cursor: pointer; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="mailto:quinton@ncaan.org" style="color: darkblue; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">quinton@ncaan.org</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to RSVP and for more details. </span>Claire Hermannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14998820497629769149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-24480424100358886382015-09-24T13:17:00.001-07:002015-09-24T13:18:28.691-07:00"I Dare Say It"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Triad Health Project's Director of Prevention Services Kevin Varner explains the positive byproducts of HIV status stemming from the support, community, and strength of living with the virus, both inside and out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Coming together and supporting one another...as people with HIV and allies of people with HIV so that we begin how to teach a sense of self-worth...and, I dare say it, how to see HIV as an unexpected gift...that you never wanted, never thought would happen to you...and yet to turn HIV against itself, we must acknowledge its presence, listen to what HIV has to tell us about the importance of staying connected...and the importance of healing beyond the medicine we take every day." </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Come together with us during the <a href="https://statevoices.salsalabs.com/o/72/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=633">2015 North Carolina HIV/AIDS Advocacy Conference</a>. </span></b><br />
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<br />Claire Hermannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14998820497629769149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420711119262973810.post-36511006778298170432015-09-21T16:34:00.002-07:002015-09-21T16:37:04.611-07:00A 15 Year-Old Lesson on What One Person Can Do<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i><b>On October 17, 2015, the Alliance of AIDS Services – Carolina, Inc., in collaboration with Crape Myrtle Festival, the LGBT Center of Raleigh and the North Carolina AIDS Action Network (NCAAN) will host the 2015 AIDS Walk and 5k Run in Raleigh's Dix Park. This annual fundraising event that raises thousands of dollars to care for people living with HIV/AIDS. To learn more, <a href="https://racereach.com/r/aids-walk-5k-run">visit the official registration site</a>. </b></i></span><br />
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In 1999, Dr. Trudier Harris didn't just raise over $17,000 for what was then called AIDSWALK, an annual fundraising event to support those living with HIV/AIDS in North </span><br />
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Dr. Harris also <a href="http://www.ncaan.org/uploads/7/5/8/9/7589793/article__for_a_worthy_cause_.pdf">penned a "how-to" guide</a> to how she did it -- and in doing so captured what one person can do for worthy cause. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.ncaan.org/uploads/7/5/8/9/7589793/article__for_a_worthy_cause_.pdf">An excerpt:</a> </span><br />
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<i>"I wrote to family and friends. I placed flyers in the boxes of my colleagues. I put up posters. I left notes at my neighbors' doors. I made phone calls. I made speeches at church. And I took advantage of less conspicuous opportunities. For example, when I went into my dentist's office, I asked if he would contribute. He did so." </i></span><br />
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What's most important to remember about Dr. Harris' highly-successful, one-woman fundraising campaign from 15 years ago, is that she was able to raise thousands before the age of vast email and social media networks. And, in doing so, laid the groundwork for today's activists to match and exceed her efforts -- all by leveraging the power of conversations, both on- and offline. </span><br />
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So what are you waiting for?<br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Claire Hermannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14998820497629769149noreply@blogger.com0